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Bloody Sunday

Play trailer Poster for Bloody Sunday R 2002 1h 47m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
92% Tomatometer 105 Reviews 90% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
On January 30, 1972, in the Northern Irish town of Derry, a peaceful protest march led by civil rights activist Ivan Cooper (James Nesbitt) turned into a slaughter. British soldiers suddenly opened fire on the defenseless crowd, killing 13 people and wounding 14 more. Shot as if a documentary, this film follows Ivan throughout the day as it chronicles the events leading up to the horrific incident and the bloodied, confused aftermath that followed.
Bloody Sunday

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Bloody Sunday powerfully recreates the events of that day with startling immediacy.

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Critics Reviews

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Nell Minow Common Sense Media 12/22/2010
4/5
Powerful retelling of 1972 demonstrations. Go to Full Review
Scott Foundas Variety 03/11/2008
Stunning. Go to Full Review
Patrick Z. McGavin Chicago Reader 03/11/2008
Greengrass sacrifices character and plot to a chilling impressionistic stylization. Go to Full Review
Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 10/21/2020
[An] outstanding dramatization of real-life emergencies, with a nerve-jangling, documentary-type immediacy. Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 05/07/2013
A+
Although originally produced for British television in 2002, Paul Greengrass's vivid depiction of a violent turning point in the so-called Troubles in Northern Ireland was released in the U.S. in theaters. Go to Full Review
Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal 09/25/2010
4/4
Time has offered the Troubles perspective, investigation and pop-culture outlets (U2′s "Sunday Bloody Sunday"). But Paul Greengrass's film spoke to how reason meant absolutely nothing when rage reigned on either side of the line. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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DanTheMan 2 Sep 7 Tragedy in its rawest form: bloody chaos. Convincingly capturing the chaotic, confusing, fast-paced nature of life in crisis, Bloody Sunday's immediacy is overwhelming, its tension palpable, and the brutality immediate. Time has offered the Troubles perspective, investigation, and pop-culture outlets, but Paul Greengrass's film speaks to how reason meant absolutely nothing when rage reigned on either side of the line; a triumph in anguish. I've been more than vocal about my distaste for Greengrass's overreliance on shaky cam in the past; thankfully, it's very toned down here to the point where I could actually see what on earth was going on, although the film jumps so frequently from scene to scene that at times it is distracting. Equally, the film sacrifices a lot of character, although James Nesbitt's lead performance is one to be marvelled at, in creating a chilling impressionistic stylisation, focusing on the leadership aspect more than the civilian in stark contrast to that of McGovern's film. Despite those quibbles, Bloody Sunday places you right in the centre of events in a multi-sensual, horrific "you are there" virtual reality of social protest that grabs you and never lets go, exuding a universality that may apply to any conflict, especially any that provokes people to become killing machines in the name of nationalism, a gripping experience to the point of downright sickening. See more Biker B Mar 17 An absolutely brilliant film that shows the brutality and hatred the Irish have received from the British and these events ultimately led to the prosecution of several British soldiers. See more Alec B 01/10/2024 Fascinating mostly on a technical level as the recreation of the Bloody Sunday massacre is impeccably staged. See more nilufer e @Nilicim 05/28/2023 It was good to learn about historic facts about the incident and even though it was touching I didn't enjoy it as much as I would like. See more 12/30/2022 Overall, this is a heartbreaking and devastating film. Serving as a dramatic rendition of the real tragedy, Director Paul Greengrass gives us plenty to admire here. His realistic style from start to finish makes it feel as if viewers are watching this whole thing from the sidelines. At times, elements such as a shaky camera give a nice touch and many moments on-screen will feel raw and tense. See more dave s 08/03/2022 January 30, 1972 was a pivotal moment in The Troubles of Northern Ireland when British soldiers opened fire on citizens in what started as a peaceful civil rights protest in Derry, killing thirteen and wounding fourteen. Gritty and grainy throughout, director Paul Greengrass uses a handheld camera to effectively capture the tumult and horror of the event, a defining moment in the decades long conflict between British and Irish loyalists. Other than Parliamentarian Ivan Cooper (James Nesbitt), the organizer of the march, there aren't a lot of characters (and, as a result, not a lot of character development) to follow, allowing the audience to focus on the details of the conflict between the protesters and the police. While Bloody Sunday may not be totally objective in its depiction of events, one is forced to wonder if there actually are two valid sides to this story of injustice and oppression. See more Read all reviews
Bloody Sunday

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Movie Info

Synopsis On January 30, 1972, in the Northern Irish town of Derry, a peaceful protest march led by civil rights activist Ivan Cooper (James Nesbitt) turned into a slaughter. British soldiers suddenly opened fire on the defenseless crowd, killing 13 people and wounding 14 more. Shot as if a documentary, this film follows Ivan throughout the day as it chronicles the events leading up to the horrific incident and the bloodied, confused aftermath that followed.
Director
Paul Greengrass
Producer
Mark Redhead
Screenwriter
Paul Greengrass, Don Mullan
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Production Co
Hell's Kitchen Films
Rating
R (Violence|Language)
Genre
History, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 11, 2002, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA)
$773.2K
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Surround, Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)